Points/Turnout issue

[Chris King]

Got a bit of a dillemma to fix on my turnouts/points.

Track all laid in HO, points motor installed (Surface) on one side the
other side tie-bar is of course free with the small raised pin in case
the surface motor is used on the other side. All the scenery is down on
that section, however I need to put a microswitch on the other side so
the tie-pin pushes against it and when set to 'curve'/turnout the
microswitch is pushed by pushing the pin against the metal microswitch
lever and holding it 'on' until the points/turnout resumes to straight
again.

All my points with this arrangement work 100% fine, no problems, except
this one!

No matter how I try and fix the microswitch and get the lever of the
microswitch to push to on when the points flip to curve the microswitch
spring (sealed unit) is too powerful and pushes the points back to
straight!! With no microswitch, points action is firm/direct and
clicks into place, true its not a snap click, but its still secure and
doesnt bounce back or slip, only when I start trying to put the
microswitch on.

Points are 'Hornby Left turn', work fine and motor (surface) sets them
every time flawlessly, how on earth can I get something to not enough
too much resistance that it allows me to wire up the 'on' on a switch. ?

I only have the small raised stud/pin on that tiebar, I have thought of
wires, contact leaves (?) but cant seem to work out how to mount them
(like on a pinball table set of contacts).

Any help on this would be most grateful, I could swap the points over
for a replacement, but it would mean uprooting the track (and its in a
circuit oval) thus destroying scenery and loads of other knock on
things to re-fix, but its not the points they are fine, its just
finding an alternative in this instance to come up with an alternative
way to make 'contact' when set on a switch without using a microswitch
that seems to be pushing back the track after pulsing or setting.

Hope you can help!

--
Chris King
(remove nospam to email direct)

[Wolf K]

On 21/06/2012 8:19 PM, Chris King wrote:
> Got a bit of a dillemma to fix on my turnouts/points.
>

> [snip description of bother with micro-switch and turnout]


Three things come to mind.

a) Try using a different micro-switch. Could be this one is at one
extreme of specs, you want one closer to the other extreme (weaker spring).

b) Try extending the lever of the switch, that will multiply the force
exerted by the turnout 's throwbar, albeit at the cost of longer
throw-bar travel.

c) Can you fit contact to the throwbar in lieu of the microswitch? These
are usually mounted below the table, but you could use a fine, stiff
wire to extend the throwbar into a plate-layer's hut or into the
scenery or whatever, to hide the contacts.

I expect there will be other suggestions.

Good Luck!

--
Best,
Wolf K
kirkwood40.blogspot.ca

[Don Petter]

On Fri, 22 Jun 2012 01:19:40 +0100, Chris King
<ch...@nospam.cking.free-online.co.uk> wrote:

>Got a bit of a dillemma to fix on my turnouts/points.
>

[snip]

>
>No matter how I try and fix the microswitch and get the lever of the
>microswitch to push to on when the points flip to curve the microswitch
>spring (sealed unit) is too powerful and pushes the points back to
>straight!! With no microswitch, points action is firm/direct and
>clicks into place, true its not a snap click, but its still secure and
>doesnt bounce back or slip, only when I start trying to put the
>microswitch on.
>

[snip]

>Hope you can help!
>
>--
>Chris King
>(remove nospam to email direct)
>

Small (tiny?) magnet and reed switch?

Don.

[gmcr...@gmail.com]

Well, from over on this side of the pond, I would have a couple of suggestions: First, and maybe easiest would be to replace the switch motor with a stronger one. Second, you could make your own contacts. I assume all you need are SPST contacts? A bit more to it if they need to be SPDT... Peco turnouts, right? Use leaf springs and a wire pushrod, inside a lineside shack or similar. Make the leaf springs out of .005" phosphor bronze strips, long enough to give a soft touch. It would be a bit tricky to set up, but should work OK. If the turnouts are indeed Peco, the internal spring on the turnout should help you out a bit.


Gary Collins
http://fhn.site90.net
gnmc...@nospam.gmail.com
(remove nospam to email directly.)